Paris of the Pacific
Dear Editor: Once again, Sitka audiences have shown their support for local productions. The recent Paris of the Pacific melodrama was held at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi (what a great facility).
A melodrama offers the audience more of an opportunity to participate and Sitkans did a fine job. Plenty of booing, yay-ing, and sighing when prompted … ahh … but these are Sitka audiences, with a smattering of visitors thrown in, so there were extra yays, boos and sighs, and vocalizing of “with your own two hands” – in unexpected places but very much enjoyed by the cast and crew. Thank you, Sitkans, for showing up with your wonderful support and sense of humor. Thank you also goes to the cast: Lee House, Marcia Drake, Heather Bauscher, Alora Zellhuber, Destony Rosas, Karren Upcraft, Seaton Bryan, Megan Pasternak, Alejandro Vargas, Annabel Lund, Ira Snelling who did double duty as director and actor, and Jeff Budd.
The backstage crew included Mary Boose, Yanglin Cai, Anne Lankenau, Xaver Clarke, Sarah Lawrie, Alexa Sample and Marybeth Palof. Our two marvelous musicians were Kammie Daniels and Joshua Houston. Thank you to Peter Williams for his beautiful seal and sea otter vest – worn by Ivan Furskinski (Seaton), and Russell’s for the loan of the Carhartt coat worn by our two Sophias (Destony and Alora). Thank you Erin for the loan of the dresses. A big yay to the business community that helped make the shows possible through their very generous sponsorships, which included Barnard Construction (folks building the Blue Lake dam), Sitka Rose Gallery, the Backdoor Café, Sitka Convention and Visitors Bureau, ALPS Federal Credit Union, Hames Corporation, Allen Marine, F/V Cherokee, Sea View Golf Course and Harry Race – Living Local. Thank you, Greater Sitka Arts Council, for your sponsorship as well.
Jeff Budd, Sitka
